Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Parmesan & Lemon-Mustard Dressing
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Be prepared to love this salad of crisp greens, walnuts and lemony Dijon dressing. It tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar.
Made with crisp power greens, toasted walnuts, chunks of Parmesan and a lemony Dijon dressing—this salad tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar. Be prepared to love it, even if you’re not a kale or Brussels sprouts person. My husband, an ardent Brussels sprouts avoider, devoured it without even realizing there were Brussels sprouts in there (at least until I let my 10-year-old daughter in on it, who giggled every time he took a bite). Make it for weekday lunches or as a side to cedar planked salmon, grilled flank steak, or grilled chicken. Bonus: it keeps well and can be made ahead of time.
What You’ll Need To Make Kale & Brussels Sprouts Salad
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by toasting the walnuts in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes, or until fragrant.
Meanwhile, slice the Brussels sprouts. You can do this by hand or using the slicing blade of the food processor.
Remove the kale leaves from the tough center ribs.
Then thinly slice.
Make the dressing by whisking together the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, shallots, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the greens and toss.
Add the toasted walnuts and Parmgiano-Reggiano.
Toss to combine, then let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with more walnuts and cheese.
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Kale & Brussels Sprout Salad with Walnuts, Parmesan & Lemon-Mustard Dressing
Be prepared to love this salad of crisp greens, walnuts and lemony Dijon dressing. It tastes like a healthful, crunchy Caesar.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped, plus more for serving
- 12 oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and shredded (about 5 gently packed cups after shredding)
- 1 large bunch (about 12 oz) Tuscan or curly kale, thick center ribs removed, thinly sliced (about 5 gently packed cups after slicing)
- 1 cup coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
For the Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2 lemons
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, from one large shallot
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Bake the walnuts for 5 to 8 minutes, until toasted and fragrant. Keep a close eye on them; they burn quickly.
- Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, oil, mustard, shallot, garlic, salt, and pepper.
- Assemble the salad: Combine the Brussels sprouts and kale in a large bowl, and pour the dressing over top. Toss to combine. Add the most of the walnuts and cheese and toss again. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge) to allow the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle more walnuts and cheese over top, if you like. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 256
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated fat: 4g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 10g
- Sodium: 432mg
- Cholesterol: 10mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This is one of the best salads I ever had. Not only is it healthy and is nutrient packed it is delicious. I’m sharing it with everyone I know and bringing it to every potluck.
This came out prefect following the recipe exact! Has great texture and elements to the flavor. I did add about 1/4 c dried cranberries, which gave it that little kick!
This might just be the best salad I have ever eaten. Period. I have tried numerous kale preparations before, and had assumed I just didn’t like the stuff. What attracted me to this recipe were the other ingredients, which are some of my favorites. It is a massive amount of kale, and even using my very largest bowl, I had to chop and add the kale in three separate batches. It wilts down under the dressing (which is fantastic!, and which I think I will use for other foods) allowing the full pound to finally fit. Bought pre-shredded sprouts at Wegman’s, speeding the assembly. Oh, and use a really good cheese. I shaved it in large pieces, and used a bit more than the recipe calls for.
How large is a serving of this salad?
A serving would be approximately 1 cup. Please keep in mind that this is a guesstimate. I hope you enjoy!
This is one of our all time favorite salads. Every time we serve it we get rave reviews. The only thing I do differently is to use pistachios instead of walnuts. I get them at Trader Joe’s and take them straight from the bag to the salad.
Do you use raw Brussels sprouts or do you cook them first?
Thank you,
Susie
Hi Susie, the Brussels sprouts are raw for the recipe. I hope you enjoy!
This is a salad that is not only easy to make its delicious! We sometimes eat this as an entree with french bread for a light healthy meal or sometimes as a side to chicken.
I’m planning on using this recipe for our Thanksgiving lunch. It sounds yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Great salad! I served with roast pork loin and sweet potatoes.
My favorite kale salad so far. Made it several times now. Thank you for sharing your awesome recipes.
I’ve made this twice in the last week – it’s a great fall/winter salad for those who like to use local/seasonal ingredients. The leftovers keep well for 1-2 days which is great. I added shredded carrots to mine last time. In the future I’ll definitely try some other variations, using different nuts and shaved root vegetables like beets and maybe fennel bulb.
I tried the Kale & Brussels spouts salad awhile back but wanted to let you know how much we loved it. It definitely scored a place in my favorites notebook! I had never eaten raw Brussels sprouts until this recipe & tried it with reservations. I loved it & already was enthralled with kale. Loved the crunch fator that th walnut added. The lemon mustard drsg was so right on. Not a fn of too sweet drsgs and this one was spicy & tangy without being pucker worthy. Thanks for sharing the salad.
this tasty salad has turned into a weekly staple that surprises everyone by its ingredients, how well it holds up and how addictive it is! Cheers!!!
Do you have any ideas to substitute for the parmesan for my “no dairy, no soy, no gluten, no wheat” eating son? Thanks!
Hi Amy, I don’t know of any good substitute for Parmesan, but you could always add more nuts instead of the cheese.
Go Veggie! brand grated parmesan in a shaker has been my vegetarian cheese alternative for years now
Have you tried Daiya? Cheese that contains no soy, dairy, gluten or wheat.
As a substitute for Parmesan you could use Nutritional Yeast. It tastes just like parmesan. I also use it in Pesto.
Does this salad get soggy or lose its texture
if left in the refrigerator for six hours?
Hi Diane, It actually keeps very well; it will be fine.
This recipe is UN-BE-Lievable!!!! So delicious. I’m hooked and so is my husband, who doesn’t usually eat anything green. Thank you so much!!!
Wow made this for dinner last night and everyone loved it. Even the kids who supposedly don’t eat brussel sprouts!
What would you recommend as a substitute for the walnuts? Sliced almonds, maybe? I’m just not a fan of walnut flavor. Thank you for any suggestions!
Hi Erika, Yes, almonds would be delicious.
I served this for Passover seder – delicious! Thank you!
Wow. I could live on this salad! I used bagged kale and shaved Parmesan to save a little prep time. Also threw in a handful of craisins. I can’t tell you how wonderful it turned out. Made a day ahead.
Made this on Sunday and it was delicious! I think I may add a second clove of garlic to the dressing (or some garlic powder?) and an extra hit of lemon juice when I serve it next time but everyone loved it as-is and I’ll definitely make again. My family was surprised to admit they enjoyed raw brussels sprouts…who knew? 🙂
Love it! I keep making it for everyone. I do use different nuts because of what I had, have tried pecans and hazelnuts!
This salad is fantastic! The Dijon mustard adds a little zip, and the brussel sprouts are crispy and crunchy. it doesn’t get “tired” or soggy. I’ll be making it again and again! Thank-you!
Love the kale salad, Your recipes are easy to follow, ingredients available, and everything I have tried is Great! The pumpkin bread was outstanding.
Loved this salad. Just enough crunch. Served with fresh grilled ling cod.
WOW. This was an awesome salad. Very hard not to eat a lot of it at one time. The roasted walnuts lend some kind of interesting texture cross-over, so that it tastes somewhat like the brussels sprouts are also walnuts. The only change we made was to the cheese – we got used ground Parmesan and Romano cheese in the same quantity. Don’t know what the original would taste like, but this was AWESOME.
This Salad is wonderful. I make this during the week to have on hand in the fridge for my husband and I to grab and eat. It stays good, dressed for about 3 days. It pairs well with anything really as a salad or in place of a vegetable. I have added strawberries in it and I also plan to add mango this summer to brighten it up for a lunch with friends and some white wine.
This salad is a meal paired with some fresh bread for a quick light dinner. Or some grilled Salmon or chicken.
I loved this salad, simple to make, very flavorful and very healthy. My son loved the lemony dressing! I didn’t make any changes it was perfect.
This is a yummy salad. I made it just how the recipe called for and it was delicious. I had never thought to eat brussel sprouts raw, but it was very good. The dressing was yummy–it did in fact taste like a caesar dressing.
This is such a great salad! I added some halved red grapes for some sweetness. You can add any protein you want for delicious & healthy lunch! YUM!!! The great part about it is that it can sit in the refrigerator for a few days and still be awesome
(better even!) Try it! You’ll love it.
This is a great way to sneak in power foods to the unsuspecting! I used a mini garlic slicer to get the Brussels sprouts super fine and deveined the kale as well as ‘massaged it’ after chopping very finely. ( would be amazing with fresh homegrown kale )
I doubled the dressing amount to redress it the next day because it gets better and better on days 2&3. Subbed Manchego and almonds for a spin on it!
For a finishing touch we added fresh sliced blueberries for a little fresh sweet zing and it was super!
With that leftovers I made a wrap with Rstd Chicken and a splash of extra dressing, yum!
Fabulous salad. You may substitute a good balsamic vinegar for lemon juice . Or you could use a citrus flavored vinegar.
Love, love, love this salad! I followed the recipe exactly. The only thing I add on occassion is some red quinoa. The red quinoa looks beautiful mixed with all the green and it makes the salad a little more hearty – ideal for a work lunch.
This is the best winter salad; the right amount of crisp and tender! And the dressing is excellent. We’ve been eating it at least once a week all winter and feel like we are getting tons of good for us food!
This salad was good but you really do need to let it sit and have the flavors blend. It was better as each day went by!
Do you cook the brussels sprouts?
Hi Diane, No the brussels sprouts are delicious raw in this salad.
So GOOD! I have been wanting to eat more kale and have not been inspired until now. As the salad marinated it got tastier and tastier – although I liked it as soon as I had completed making it as well.
Time to make a new batch – this will be a favorite for sure – thanks Jen.
This salad is amaaaazing as is!! We grilled some shrimp to top it off. I think it would also be really good if you threw in some pears.
Hi Jennifer, This was fantastic -I find myself tiring of Kale in more traditional salads and this has brought Kale back for me! I made a double batch 3 days ago and it is gone. My 16 year old son has requested more so I’m just getting ready to prepare another batch. As another reviewer suggested, I also devein the kale and coarsely shred it in the food processor. The brussel sprouts, however, we’re great quartered by hand for crunchy little nuggets of goodness! Thanks for another fantastic recipe! Colleen
Made this last night and it was outstanding!
Didn’t know how my husband would react since he barely eats brussel sprouts or kale cooked! He didn’t say anything, but had about two salad plates full so I got my answer!! Another winning recipe – thanks Jen!
Good morning Jen
Do you have a good green apple dressing ?
I was at a restaurant in Wellesley Maand ordered a kale salad and it had a green apple dressing which was delicious. I have researched but have come up short!
Love going through your repertoire of recipes and deciding what to make next! My family Thank you! I was in a cooking rut until I stumbled across your website. You have inspired me
Hi Antoinette, So glad you are enjoying the recipes! Unfortunately, I don’t have a green apple dressing but I will keep an eye out and report back if I find one 🙂
Here is one that I have used in the past and really like. You can also add some lemon juice and adjust ginger/garlic to your taste.
1 medium green apple
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cloves garlic
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
sea salt to taste
Directions
1.Place the apple, water, oil, garlic, ginger and a healthy pinch of salt into a blender and puree the mixture until smooth. Serve immediately.
Delicious! I’ve forwarded the recipe to family and friends.
Halved this recipe but when I looked at the volume of greens, I decided to make the dressing at full recipe volume which was a good move since it was almost under dressed doing this. Perhaps I didn’t slice kale small enough ? That said, the wife and I loved it. Toasting the walnuts is a must. I will say it needed a bit of sweetness to counteract the bitter greens and the salty parmesan so I tossed in a handful of craisins which complemented it well.
This is the most delicious kale salad I’ve made…Perfect combination of ingredients! We are trying to eat healthier and I’ve made this twice in one week. Thank you, Jenn!
This was so much better than we expected. We couldn’t get enough…
Wow such a healthy tasty salad!! The toasted walnuts really give it a great crunch. The fresh lemon and dijon give a delicious punch to the dressing I did not even add the parmesan but it was still delicious. (Although I will for my family.) Rather then cutting the kale, which can be very timely, I devein it and put it into my food processor in pieces and then pulse it to desired salad size. It always comes out great this way for any kale salad.
Great tip, Karen. Thx!
This was FABULOUS! Took forever to slice up the sprouts, but absolutely worth it. So light and fresh, and it makes a bunch too (currently having round two for lunch).
I made the kale salad with Brussel sprouts and was delicious! My husband doesn’t care to eat kale but truly enjoyed this recipe. Made grilled chicken to accompany salad! Thank you !
As a mom I look for inspirational recipes that are fairly easy and healthy. This does both.
Where are the list of ingredients to tell you how much of each?
Hi Lois, Click on the recipe tab at the top or scroll down beneath the last photo.
This looks delicious. Could you make it with lacinato kale instead of the curly kale? Not sure how their flavors compare.
Yes, absolutely. I only use curly kale because it’s the most readily available.